Lawyers forced to pay out £1m in no win, no fee disputes – The Guardian

Posted January 6th, 2014 in compensation, complaints, costs, fees, legal aid, legal ombudsman, news, solicitors by sally

‘Lawyers were ordered to pay almost £1m in compensation to disappointed clients last year owing to failures in no win, no fee agreements, according to figures released by the legal ombudsman.’

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The Guardian, 6th January 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Mental health staff to be based in police stations – BBC News

Posted January 6th, 2014 in mental health, news, nurses, pilot schemes, police, recidivists by sally

‘Mental health nurses are to be based in police stations and courts in 10 areas of England as part of a pilot scheme aimed at cutting reoffending.’

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BBC News, 4th January 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Crime and punishment: Why throwing away the key doesn’t work – The Independent

Posted January 6th, 2014 in criminal justice, imprisonment, news, prisons, sentencing by sally

‘It is not liberal weediness to baulk at whole-life sentences. It’s knowing that, without a hairline of hope, those in prison become more dangerous.’

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The Independent, 5th January 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Barristers and solicitors walk out over cuts to legal aid fees – The Guardian

‘Criminal courts across England and Wales will be severely disrupted on Monday morning when barristers and solicitors stage an unprecedented mass walkout in protest at government plans to slash legal aid fees by up to 30%.’

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The Guardian, 5th January 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk